Pages

Friday, February 22, 2013

We are finally done with our week long pantry project, and I am over the moon warm and fuzzy about the end results!

Our pantry wasn't awful to begin with, it's been super organized on and off for years now, but I always like to revisit things that aren't working, and put a little extra time into making things more pleasing. We had some really great systems that we were utilizing, some that were good but we weren't taking advantage of, and others that just made no sense at all.

Here are the before photos as a reminder, pineapple and all...

A quick recap of all the steps this makeover/re-organizing project went through {day 1 here}:

All contents were emptied from the food cabinet and the pantry to give us a blank slate to work with

Everything lived on the table during the course of the update so we could sort and purge down the items with ease

We took care of those pesky wire shelves by lining them with foam board covered in pretty shelf liner

We sorted everything down, took note of what was remaining and made a storage plan

We also made a small shopping list based off of our brainstorming

I used a craft punch to create vinyl labels for all of our food bins

The rest of the process was pretty simple. A quickie trip to the Container Store to grab some bins for our produce, a little more labeling with my Silhouette {couldn't resist!}, and I sang a happy tune as I loaded our pantry and cupboard back up with our goodies.

Let's take a look at the pantry first...

What wasn't working?

We had a large picnic tote that we only use occasionally in the summer, taking up almost a whole shelf. That was moved to a cabinet in our garage where we keep seasonal items.

In the case we purchase something in bulk or on sale, we have a small amount of "overflow". Those items were living on the lower shelf, which is the easiest spot for our kids to access. All of their snacks lived up high, forcing them to drag kitchen stools to the pantry or even worse, just climb the wire shelves.

We used stacking baskets which held our vegetable produce under the bread basket. The produce wasn't simple to access, and would often be forgotten and left to spoil.

Our pasta and sauces were all forced to the very top of the pantry, yet we cook with them frequently. Our baking items were in our main kitchen cabinet, yet we rarely bake.

Our goods weren't labeled so we often times did the "is it old, is it stale?" test. That test meant someone taking a bite and hoping they could keep it down...

We weren't always disciplined enough to create snack cups or to empty our boxes and packages, which quickly took over our space and limited our storage.

Bowls of produce would cause extra counter clutter, we are huge fans of fresh fruit.

So we problem solved all of those non-working areas when putting everything back.

And my mom heart was so happy when my oldest came home from school yesterday and gave me an empty snack cup out of his backpack. I didn't even have time to tell him we refilled them before he already took a second to grab one on his way to school, so he had something to eat during his after school activity. Proof that taking a couple of minutes to make those snack cups really benefits the boys. You can read more about our snack storage here.

All of the containers got fun labels, just because I am a label-aholic.

We typically have 3-4 bowls of fruit on the table and counter at any given time, so to reduce the need to move them around every time we eat and cook, I wanted the snacky produce to live in the pantry with the rest of the snack foods. Some open front stacking bins were a great solution!

Two items drive me crazy about our pantry. A} Slotted wire shelves and B} They are designed deep, so things are easily lost in the back.

We solved the slotted wire shelves with the foam board, which also allowed us to now use the stackable bins nicely. However, when it came to all of our stacking containers, they made the most sense going from back to front of the pantry, just to take up the least amount of shelf space. But getting to the back containers proved obnoxious and those items weren't always seen or remembered. A lightweight tray under the bins now allows me to pull them all out at once to access the items in the back or bottom row.

I get asked occasionally about purchasing storage bins for foods and determining the sizes. I recommend making a list of the items that you purchase on a very frequent basis, your "staples" if you will... and jot down how many ounces they typically come in. That way, when shopping for bins, you know how large they should be. It is always good to purchase up a few extra ounces if you have the opportunity. It is also good to keep note of the containers you have when doing your grocery shopping. If you ever have too many crackers to fit into a container after a shopping trip, just make up some quick grab and go packs with the rest.

The items in the door are items we use for daily lunches and snacks, but I put them up higher because if I don't, they are gone in a day. My kids are granola bar lovers, and eat them like they are going out of style.

The small white boxes were leftover from Valentine treat baskets the kids received last week. They were originally from Michaels for about a dollar a piece.

They are the perfect size for those small drink and instant coffee packets we keep on hand for guests.

Since our syrup often times comes in glass or super fast pouring bottles, there would be occasional syrup-tastrophes in the morning and waffles would become drenched with too much goodness. A small squirt bottle makes it much easier to use for little hands.

We have always been a fan of keeping our grocery list on a clipboard within the pantry, but I recently just added a cord clip for a pen. Although the list was always right there, didn't mean a pen was always within reach.

This is one of those makeovers where I have smacked into the pantry door seventeen times since finishing, because I keep leaving it open, on purpose. I just like to gaze and ooh and ahhhh....

Oh, but we can't forget about the cupboard across the way!

Super simple and I like it! We moved our noodles and sauces, soups and lunch foods to this cabinet, since it is much more easy to access than the high shelves within the pantry. I didn't do anything too special here, just categorized each area of the shelves by type of food.

So there you have it! Our kitchen received a little extra attention this week that is sure to bring more ease to our day to day lives. And extra smiles too, because it is so fun, colorful and pretty!

Before and afters anyone?

And for those wondering... we ate the pineapple. And it was AMAZING!

The only items I had to purchase for this update were the foam boards, the produce bins and a new bin for all of our vitamins {since they were overflowing out of the old one}. Everything else was snagged from around the house, and just came down to updating placement and lots of great labels.

Next week will finish up kitchen month! And we will have our giant link party to share all of our projects and accomplishments!

Did you pick up any tricks and tips this week to help you in your own pantry and food cabinet organizing? Anyone happy to have their kitchen table back? What one thing was a game changer for you?

138 comments:

This is so inspiring! I love all your fun labels and your colors. Thanks to you an empty kitchen cabinet space is soon becoming a neat pantry. I am so going to a hardware store this weekend to purchase necessities to instal shelves and create a pantry. Thank You! keep up the good work.

It looks AMAZING! I love the foam board for the wire shelving. Who ever thought wire shelving was a great idea? I love all the great containers. Looking forward to April when The Container Store opens the Orlando location! I'll drive the 2 hours to shop in person instead of on line!

It looks great Jen!! Don't you love the outcome when you tweak something and it works so much better. I too would be leaving that door open. :) My pantry redo is waiting until hubby has more time off of work. We are doing a bigger overhaul. I want to paint the inside with some washable paint vs. the flat that is in there. I am not a fan of my wire shelves either. I think they may be going. I find corner pantries hard to organize because everything gets lost in the corners. So, I bought some lazy susan's from IKEA to remedy that issue. :) Cereal needs to come out of boxes into containers. I do have some of the IKEA containers you use for your pasta for crackers and raisins. Love them. Been keeping my potatoes and onions in baskets for a long time. Works so good doesn't it! :) Fruit though is in the fridge. We love cold, crispy apples. :)

You ROCK!That is great, and so smart!I wish we had a Container Store closer to us! Its about 1 1/2 he's away! Ugh!Anyway you are very inspiring! I cannot wait to get stuff straightened up around here!Thank you! :)

Such a great makeover and so inspiring! We are moving in a little less than two weeks, and I can't wait to organize my new kitchen using some of your ideas! I just love your blog... I especially like that you are so real and genuine. I love that you remade a space that you had previously organized, that wasn't working for you anymore. It's a good reminder to be flexible and go with what works, even when it's not what you had originally planned!

Awesome makeover. Long time reader but first time de-lurker. Where did you get your over the door shelf for the pantry? I have been on the lookout for one and the one from Container store is right now out of our budget.

I found ours awhile back from homedepot.com. It doesn't look like Home Depot carries that specific model any longer, but they do have this one: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-203303525/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=over+the+door+organizer&storeId=10051&superSkuId=203589819#.USPL-Wdhiks

and amazon sells something similar as well: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00683MM9K/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00683MM9K&linkCode=as2&tag=iheaorga-20

Awesome! I am wondering why you don't keep your fruit in the fridge? I have never seen it kept in the pantry. If I did that we would have fruit flies galore, especially during summer. We always have bananas and don't put them in the fridge, but I battle those little flies like crazy when it is hot outside!

We have always had our fruit out on the counter. I guess since they don't put most of the fruit in the coolers at the grocery store, I never thought to keep them in the fridge at home. :) We go through it pretty quickly, and have never really had a problem with spoiling or bugs.

Ohmygosh YES! I have not labeled the dates on my pantry makeover bottles and I absolutely need to! Brilliant! I probably could use a few larger containers too... Once I'm less sicky I'm so overhauling the pantry again! Thanks for the inspiration gorgeous! <3

I like that you keep a clip board for grocery shopping. I need to do something like that in my pantry. Your pantry looks wonderful. I feel totally inspired to tackle mine and make it a little more functional.

I commented on the first part of this redo about how much the bf's chip bags get to me... Those bins are perfect! I like how you can use even more vertical space. Thanks as always Jen!{lamourcheznous.wordpress.com}

I just went to my local Big Lots in St. Peters, MO this weekend and found the same basket with handles. The large was $2.50 and the small was $1.80. I am sure every Big Lots has different items at different times, but it might be worth a try for you.

This is more fridge related than pantry...but I'll share b/c it's helped me big time. My huband and I always write the date with a Sharpie on the lid of whatever we open...pasta sauce, shredded cheese, breadcrumbs...etc. It's second nature, takes 2 seconds and I toss a lot less. I used to worry when I'd find a jar of something in the back of the fridge, b/c I couldn't remember when I'd opened it and usually just tossed it to be on the safe side.

I love this tip! I would add a small post-it with the date to items in the fridge, why I didn't just write directly on the package is beyond me. Haha, I will call it a blonde moment and just be thankful for you smart ladies!

I severely dislike wire shelving as well. Our pantry is really big with double doors, but illogical as it extends about two feet to one side...that you can't access because its behind the wall. It drives me crazy because things get shoved back there and then I have to get the swiffer out to try to hook things and pull them into reach!

We should all gang up on home builders and tell them what does and doesn't work!

Totally amazing, as usual! I will definitely have to remember the vinyl + craft punch trick! I am always jealous of you Silhouette users and never thought to achieve a similar look with punches I already have. Thanks for all the tips and tricks!

I LOVE your aesthetics. I cracked up laughing when you wrote how you bumped into your pantry door. When I'm done with a project I can stare at it for hours!! My hubby thinks I'm a loon but I just can't help it!! :)

Sheila- I have had that happen a few times in older containers. Mine were Tupperware and probably well over 10 years old. All of my new BPA Free containers do not smell and the crackers do not taste/smell funny. For some reason it seemed to happen with the Ritz crackers and they were kept in their original packaging...not sure why, but maybe they were just stale and had been there for a long time. Personally, I'd soak the container in vinegar and use it for something other than food.

So excited! After simply googling kitchen organization, I came across your blog, and wow! I am truly inspired beyond words! After 15 years, 3 houses, and 3 kids, we are moving again, but this time to a "home" (that finally fits us!) Busy, busy, busy, and discouraged because of small, tight feeling space, I felt like I never had time, or motivation, to organize. Wow, and cleaning out for the move, what disorganization and clutter-everywhere! I am ready to take it on full speed ahead, as I love our new home and want to start from square one, with a place for everything, and everything in its place. Already planning on a trip to Target this afternoon! Thank you for so many amazing organization (and decorating!) ideas!

I also did our kitchen the same time you suggested it. And since then I love it! I gave the items we use the most, enough space to have easy access without having to be careful throwing stuff on the ground. I have labels on the shelf which says what comes on it so everyone knows where to put stuff back. And also I have changed the layout just like you. Stuff we use the most has the easiest place.

Please do tell where you got the pen clip from? I've been searching and the only thing I can find is a cord clip, but I don't know if that would be wide enough to hold a pen, so I don't want to order them! That clip would solve my menu planning problems! Thanks so much, the pantry looks great.

That is great, but how do you get the rest of your family to keep things organized? My husband is the worst. I can organize the pantry by type of foods, and when he unloads the groceries or put things away, he puts them wherever he wants, without any thought to organization! After 33 years of marriage to him, I just give up. He thinks I'm too picky, and I think he's disorganized. How do you manage to get your family on board?

Hmmm, trial and error! I try to problem solve based on my family's habits so that our systems are simple for them to use and maintain. But some of my family members are far more organized than others. :) I was just chatting with my hubs today, and asked him to write a post based on his perspective of living with someone who loves to organize. :) We get our share of messes around here, and I also just pick my battles sometimes. It's all about compromise.

One more comment: Our pantry is almost exactly like yours (deep and narrow with wire shelves.) I hate the wire shelves, so I tried lining them. However, it made the pantry too DARK! I couldn't see anything because the light was blocked, so I went back to the wire shelves. Do you have good lighting in yours?

Our pantry is directly across from our patio so we get pretty good lighting in ours. It is also right inbetween kitchen and dining lighting, so it really hasn't been an issue. Just sometimes for the far upper shelves.

I love the look of your pantry (ok really just your whole house). One thing that I'm unsure of where to buy would be the shelf tray. I thought that was brilliant. I went looking for something that would look nice and can't seem to find anything. I'm probably not calling it the right thing. Thanks for sharing your home with us. I'm also in the process of building the desk. We live in an apartment so I haven't been able to cut the top board or the crown molding but the rest it up and running.

I found the tray at Target forever ago and the kiddos have been using it in the car for drawing and writing. However, it was too perfect for the pantry so I will have to find something new for them. :) Target releases similar sized trays frequently with each new line that comes out, so hopefully you can find something similar there.

Love, Love, LOVE!!! I especially love the idea for the produce. We eat a ton of fruit every week, and my dish for it is way too small. We have enough room in our pantry to do this, so I'm totally going for it now!

I have wire shelves too and hate them because things fall through. The foam board is a great idea, but how did you get it to stay on the behind-the-door shelf unit? I have the same one but I would think the foam board would slide out the front of the shelf if not adhered somehow? Also, I'm curious to know if you like the metal ceiling tiles to line the wall with? I've thought of this too but wasn't sure how it was for clean-up. Thanks for the great ideas!

I just cut them a smidge smaller so they sort of tuck onto the shelf. They haven't budged so I can say it worked great!

I do like the metal ceiling tiles. We originally did it because we didn't have shelves in the bottom and had our garbage and recycling in there. The tiles made for super easy cleanup, and added something special. Still super happy with them. :)

Cord clip...pen...you just revolutionized my life. So, when you're a musician, you're always dropping the pencil you try to tuck in to your score, which is inside your binder. Cord clip stuck to inside of binder. No more pencil dance. Thank you!

You have so many great ideas! I love your blog!! I have NO IDEA how I discovered it but have been following for a month. It is a New Year's Resolution of mine to get our home as organised as possible after 3 years in it. I live in South Africa, where it is not as easy to get hold of all the supplies you use as easily or inexpensively but nonetheless I am improvising and already my kitchen is hugely improved :) If it wasn't for the motivation you provide it just wouldn't get done again...I've been into 'organising' for years but hubby and 4 teenagers are NOT so it's an uphill battle! Time is also a huge constraint for me but I am following along and spending about an hour each evening re-organising :) Just wanted to say HELLO and THANK YOU!

I love the kids snack bins and the foam board for the shelves. Clever ideas! The tray for all the smaller bins to help take them out at once is wonderful. I think I will be doing that with my pantry. Great job!

Are the vinal labels dishwasher safe? Looking for labels (thinking of chalkboard) for containers I will be using but I am concerned about their durability when I want to wash the container. Any suggestions? Was thinking of the martha stewart ones but I'm not sure if it's the right decision. I don't want to invest a lot of money.

I cant wait until I get an apartment so that I can do this with my pantry also. It's always been a dream of mine to have an uncluttered food space, however when you live with your parents you have to do things their way haha. Lovely post!

working on my re-do now! I bought some containers at IKEA and unfortunately the kids already broke one...so I am on the nunt for some others for the stuff they'll handle more...but more specificallly....where do I find vinyl and chalk pens for labeling? I searced MICHAEL's high and low with no luck.....and of course the sales people were no help....

OK....just wanted to say i love love love your pantry...but i am really dying of the genius that is the syrup bottle! ack! we SO need that in this house and that is exactly the answer we needed for the morning pancake drenches we experience. we use real maple syrup (which i'm guessing is what you are using as well) and the mouth of the jar is wide open. which means way too much comes pouring out. i hate that! and that little bottle idea - so super smart! thank you!!! :-)

hi Jen,questions for ya:1. where did you get that squeeze bottle with a cap? im asian so my house always has hoison sauce, sirache, etc...would like a bottle that has a cap lie that. that looks like a cap from honey bottle?

2. can the vynil be aken off with ease or once its stick it wont come off? and where can i find it? at the kitchen section?

I found the bottles on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QJBNII/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000QJBNII&linkCode=as2&tag=iheaorga-20 They are restaurant bottles, I am guessing restaurant supply stores sell them also.

The vinyl labels do come right off when the time comes. I made them at home with my electronic cutting machine, however, you may be able to find some options on Etsy.

Thank you so much for your post!! You inspired me to do my own pantry. This would be my first DIY project. I took some pics of my long and exhausting process. How can I share them with you? Thanks again for all your help. I heart your blog and share posts with my friends all the time :)

Here is the link to the cereal keepers we use: http://www.target.com/p/snapware-2-pack-cereal-container-with-flip-lid/-/A-14376547#prodSlot=medium_1_12&term=cereal+ They have been really great, and have a nice sized opening for pouring.

Yes, I believe the Cricut has the same vinyl and cutting abilities, but I am not 100%.

Also where do you keep flour, sugar, brown sugar.. Etc.. I'm looking for containers for those for the pantry because we are limited on counter space and I don't want glass and can't find a good size for them

You can see the flour, sugar, etc... in our spice cabinet here: http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/2011/06/spicin-things-up-part-2.html I use the modular mates from Tupperware and love love love them!

I know you posted this an eternity ago, but I just stumbled upon it and I love it! It looks like we have very similar sized (narrow and deep!) pantries, and mine has always frustrated me. Seeing yours gives me hope about what mine could look like!! Thanks!

You are such an inspiration! I recently found your blog and CANNOT get enough. Does the chalk pen wipe off of the vinyl labels and off of other surfaces like normal chalk would? I love the look of it and it has such nice crisp lines!

The font is Sofia. I always measure the area I am creating the vinyl for. Then, in Silhouette Studio you can see the measurements of the graphics you are creating. I am always just to just create them a smidge smaller than the area I am working with.

I love the punched vinyl labels! What brand of punch do you use? I cannot find one that punches vinyl with the adhesive backing. It always gets stuck in the mechanism and doesn't give a cleanly cut label.

IHeart you taking a moment to comment! Although I absolutely appreciate, consider and read each and every comment, I will remove any comment that I believe to be inappropriate, malicious or spam like. This blog is my happy place, let's keep the drama at bay!

Don't see your comment? All comments are moderated and may take a moment to appear.

search

Search This Blog

shop

planner

give

Give

sponsors

SS

category

contributors

monthly party

quick tip

disclosure

This site contains advertising banners and occasional Amazon affiliate links. In the event that an Amazon affiliate link is used, I receive commission on the sale of the products. The affiliate program does not sway my decision of what products to use and share as I only feature items I would link to with or without an affiliate link.

All reviews and opinions on this site are mine and mine alone. I always give full disclosure at the end of each post if I'm paid or gifted to write about a product.

We love to share our personal projects and what "works for us", however, we cannot guarantee that those same projects will also work for you. No two homes or two spaces are considered the same. As the reader, you assume any risks involved when completing projects seen on this site. We are not personally liable for any projects that are completed based on the ideas and inspiration shared here.